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Thursday, April 03, 2014

Spencer Smith "Classic" Normans

In my last post I was carrying on a bit about how much I liked the Spencer Smith Normans, so I thought I ought to put a few pictures up. That immediately above shows a little bit of their potential - the fellow on the left has an infantryman's arm thrusting with a spear overarm. There is evidence suggesting that "couched" was not the only way of employing the weapon, and I thought this was a nice little nod in that direction. The other fellow has a spare right arm from a figure meant to be in a fairly sedate pose with his weapon held upright. I think he looks nice as he lowers his lance into a fighting position even as he gazes off-screen at a threat we must perforce imagine.

Going forward to this image, I feel that the altered figure goes well with that with the lowered lance. The two look like they've just spotted trouble and are swinging into action. Note I am using the North Star wire spears (the 40mm ones) which in my opinion go better with the figures than the brass rod Spencer Smiths' supply.

Painting. Ulp. I'm trying to be a little restrained, but it seems as though Saxtorph and the Funckens are edging in a bit. You'll notice I've painted in some brown leather edging around the hems and the mail hood. It seems logical to me that it's be there if only to protect the clothing below and so as not to chafe at their faces.

It will be time to start on the Saracens when I've ordered some up. They'll probably have to be Willies as I can't see anything else more suiable or compatible. It will be fun picking over the catalogue and seeing what can be found. There are at least a couple of useful horse archers in the Medieval range.

I wonder if any of the Andalusian or Almoravid figures from HaT's 28mm El Cid range would work as Saracens. I don't know enough about the period to say for sure and perhaps they might be a bit too small.

I just did a comparison with some Hat Bavarians I had laying about the place. They are one or two mm shorter, but worth exploring, I think. Especially with one of those circular Renedra bases stuck on to shim them up.

Good spot on the Sikh range Ross. There also some useful cavalry in the Late 17rth C range. Then I started looking at the Polish winged lancer. Lucky for me it was then time to go to bed. Saved by the bell. How nice would a dozen of them look on the shelf?

haing spent a little time today on the haT website, I think a box each of the Andalusian and Spanish light Infantry would priovide a lot of the crossbowmen the Spencer Smith range lacks, yet were so much a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Crusader armies. And the Spanish heavy infantry look cool too. Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.